Page 38 of Scarred Crown

“Yes.” Once, and I hated every tourist trap moment of it. An entrance fee. A walk through the women’s jewelry market with an unspoken expectation to purchase. A traditional dance from the Maasai with a tip expected. A tour of their ‘schoolhouse’ which had a jar to donate to the children’s education. Raining money. That’s what I told Kafil when we left. I should have taken all the money out of my wallet and thrown it into the air. I enjoy donating to worthy causes or communities in need of funds, but I hate the slimy sensation of being scammed.

“Did you like it?” Julia asks.

“No,” I admit.

“Hmm.” She sighs. “I’d like to see for myself. Kafil, I’ll double whatever payment you get from the village if you’ll take me.” The sweet smile she directs at me sets me on edge. “Not everything in life gets a redo.” Her smile turns into a grin. “Luckily, you’re getting one today.”

“Oh, joy,” I mutter, but her glee at tormenting me causes my heart to kick. “Whatever will I do with all this luck?”

“On the way back we’ll stop,” Kafil says. “But first, the crater.”

Real joy surges in me at the reminder. Julia’s expression as we descend into the crater might be worth the scammy torture later. Nothing is more beautiful than Julia fully immersed in an experience. An ache spreads across my chest, and I tear my gaze from her to take in the passing scenery out the window. Thoughts like that will get me in trouble.

Nick

Fourteen years ago

The basketball bounces down the court, and Jules chases it, her sports bra and short shorts making me wish for fall to arrive. Of course I’ve discovered Jules is attractive during the height of summer, the endless season of barely-there clothing. I swallow when she bends over.

She grabs the ball and turns back to me, her hair swinging around her shoulders. “Are you feeling okay? You’re not even trash-talking me today.”

“Just… distracted.” I rub the back of my head and then hold my hands out for the ball. “I thought your ineptitude at basketball was a given—no need to rub it in.”

“Doesn’t normally stop you,” Jules says with a wry smile. “So, what’s distracting you from making fun of me?”

You in that outfit. You, anywhere. “We’ve got a family meeting in a couple weeks to determine our next charity outreach program. Alex, Brice, and I are each supposed to bring an idea to the table.”

This is the first time our parents have asked our opinion on any of their programs. Usually, we’re forced into acting as the face of something we never agreed to or have no real interest in. A chance at fronting a charity I’m interested in would be a change. Except, grandmother will only select one of the three ideas. I’d never say it out loud to my parents, but they might as well give the slot to Alex. No matter what Brice and I come up with, it’ll be his idea getting the green light.

“What’s your idea?” Jules asks, chasing the ball after my shot. She comes close to the net and lines up her own attempt and completely misses the basket.

I chuckle while I retrieve the ball from the fence and come back to the foul line on the court. “Not a clue. Not sure it matters. They’ll pick Alex’s idea.”

“They might not.” Jules catches the ball under the hoop and bounces it out to the three-point line.

She’s not going to make that shot. She just airballed inside the key.

“What would you suggest to my parents if you were sitting at the table?” I ask.

“Oh, that’s easy.” Jules grins before she launches another ball into the air that’s sure to miss by a mile. “I’d organize something to help girls in Africa go to school.”

“You do realize Africa is a continent and not a country, right?”

Jules huffs out an annoyed breath.

“And not all countries in Africa are poor.” I chase down the ball.

“You do realize not everyone gets classes in international relations or stores extra details in their giant brain.” Jules crosses her arms.

“Africa as a continent is basic geography though. Isn’t it?” I pretend to think about it. “Yes, basic geography. My massive brain has confirmed it. I’m not asking you to give me every country’s GDP.”

“All right. Whatever. Mock me if you want. But you don’t have any ideas, so my idea is better than no idea.”

“Well, the first question my parents will ask is why Africa and why girls?” I shoot the ball, and it swishes through the net again.

“We should have played tennis. I suck at basketball. I spend all my time chasing the balls.”

“My shots go in, so if you stand under the net, there’s no chasing needed.”